DANIEL:
Dear Tamara, first of all thank you for taking time for this little interview!
We visited Florence and have been to Floret many times and met you there as well. Its cool that our brand DAYO COCO brought Floret and us together. Its nice to know for our community who is behind the curtain of Floret and the restaurant located at the top of the LuisaViaRoma store. Could you give us a small introduction about yourself for the beginning?
TAMARA:
Of course. Even though I have lived 25 years in Germany, my Armenian roots still show their dominance in my mentality, habits and passion for food! I have moved 24 times and lived in different countries for my studies and work experiences. I would move another 24 times as there is nothing more fulfilling than discovering new cities, cultures and of course food trends for me. I have a background in marketing and luxury brand management and worked in the PR/marketing sector for brands like Dior, Bulgari, Harrods, LuisaViaRoma and still participate in the fine jewellery brand of my family.
DANIEL: What brought you to Florence and what made you run the Floret?
TAMARA:
My partner Maurizio and I have always had a veeeery strong affinity for gastronomy. He has worked in this sector for 15 years and I knew it was time to combine our skills and launch something totally new in Florence. Floret is not just a restaurant. It's a lifestyle, its mindfulness, a community. A place to unwind & re-energize. An oasis in the heart of the city.
Every idea starts with that moment when you realize something is missing and this concept is still very untouched in Florence. In Germany the healthy lifestyle industry is booming since many years. You can find cold-pressed juices, avocado toasts, granola bowls in every corner. This is still very new in Florence, hence we discovered a niche and wanted to test this market
When I first met Maurizio 6 years ago in Florence there was no sign of avocado breads, cold-pressed juices, smoothies, even salty breakfast was a challenge unless you went to very touristic places or had breakfast in hotels. The terminology “brunch” was not an every-day use. Over the years this trend has also found interest in Florence and now you see and hear “brunch” on a regular basis.
DANIEL: Have you always worked with a healthy lifestyle or has it grown over time in your own interest?
TAMARA:
I have always had a strong interest for it however it is the first time I work independently in this sector and there is yet sooooo much to learn. I love to educate myself further and further as I know what we do in floret is doing good to people and this requires a lot of research, teaming up with experts, attending conferences and fairs and of course working closely with our head chef who handles each ingredient with a lot of knowledge and love.
DANIEL: You are located right above the LuisaViaRoma store, do you have many LuisaViaRoma customers who are stepping by? Or how would you describe the typical Floret guest?
TAMARA:
We attract many different clients. The IG-community, the clients of LVR, tourists from all over the world, curious locals and international students. As its located in a plant-filled terrace, tucked away from the streets in the middle of the city centre, its really a great place to work, relax and have a moment for oneself.
DANIEL: What is the difference to other healthy juice / smoothie bars / restaurants? And what makes the floret so special?
TAMARA:
We wanted to create a sort of home away from home, we included dishes for different tastebuds in our menu. Artisan, organic food really has no limits. Our menu is inspired by a fusion of cultures united with organic top-notch ingredients. Maurizio and me are almost always there and we make sure that each guest leaves happy, satisfied and most importantly nourished.
In most cases juice/smoothie bars focus on one direction, are vegan and gluten-free and so on...
We are not vegan and we also serve gluten but we make sure that we serve the best quality ingredients from suppliers we believe in. Our aim is to create a like-minded community that enjoys our food, our juices and participates in our events like workshops, yoga and more interesting ones coming up in Summer.
DANIEL: Do you pay attention to the ingredients and their origin? What about sustainability and FairTrade? Do you support local?
TAMARA:
We get our fresh produce 100% from local suppliers. Yet all the superfood products, dried fruits/nuts are sourced internationally. We have many products from Germany, Australia, Fiji Island and even from Brazil – I think this really makes the big difference.
DANIEL: Thanks for the impressions Tamara, and the short Sneak Peek behind the scenes of the Floret and the people. We are happy and of course keep the contact with you and the Floret! See you soon in Florence.
TAMARA:
Yay, thank you so much ! You should come by in summer, there will be many nice events, outdoor yoga classes and some nice beach parties! Plus coconut oil is also super for tanning, no?
DANIEL:
You got it right Tamara! See you soon and stay COCO ;)
